A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. They are known to invade homes for food and occasionally shelter. Mice can at times be harmful rodents, damaging and eating crops,causing structural damages and spreading diseases through their parasites and feces. Unlike other pests, house mouse numbers are not limited by lack of water. Mice can get enough water from food even from dry cereals. If there are good living conditions, they can multiply rapidly. Females produce 8 or more litters per year, with 5 to 7 pups.
House mice can gnaw through wood, asphalt shingles and soft mortars. They can squeeze through small cracks 1 cm in size. House mice leave small dark brown droppings wherever they go. These droppings are the first indication of mice problem.

Mice make their nest from soft material like paper, insulation or furniture stuffing. These nests can be found in walls, ceiling voids, storage boxes, drawers, under appliances or within upholstery. Outside nests are found in debris or in ground burrows.

Reproduction :

Female mice housed together tend to go into anestrus and do not cycle. If exposed to a male mouse or the pheromones of a male mouse, most of the females will go into estrus in about 72 hours. Breeding onset is at about 50 days of age in both females and males, although females may have their first estrus at 25–40 days. Mice are polyestrous and breed year round; ovulation is spontaneous. The duration of the estrous cycle is 4–5 days and estrus itself lasts about 12 hours, occurring in the evening.

Roof Rat :

The roof rat is also called the black rat. It is slimmer and has larger ears. The tail is longer than the combined length of the body and head. Roof rats’ nests are usually in the ceilings and attics. Roof rats are good climbers and can climb up the inside and outside of pipes. Roof rats can climb even wires. Female rats have up to 7 litters per year of 8-12 pups per litter.

Rats can get into a home through a hole about the size of a quarter. Rats damage structure, chew wiring and cause electrical fires, eat and urinate on human and animal food and carry many diseases. Rats rely mainly on smell, taste touch and hearing because of poor vision.

Rats – a rising problem :

Evidence shows that the rat population has been steadily increasing, with marked rises in infestations in domestic premises in both urban and rural areas. A 1993 survey showed a 39% increase in infested domestic premises over the previous 20 years. Subsequent surveys have shown a continuing increase in infestation levels. There are now probably more than a million houses in the UAE infested with rats.

Domestic premises in rural areas appear to be more at risk from infestations. Research found that they were twice as likely to be infested with rats, at 7.8%, than those in urban environments.